Presidents' Day
by MyOwnWorstCritic
Summary: The day turned from happy, to horrid, in a matter of seconds. Implied Eric/Calleigh, for now...
1. Het vaderloze meisje

The day turned from happy, to horrid, in a matter of seconds.

Sirens were blaring, people were shouting and you heard cries of distress.

He knew what his duty was; he had already passed the uniformed officers and was standing at the scene. But he was also incredibly worried. As he walked closer to the big scene, he took out his cellphone. Hitting speed dial one, he pressed the phone to his ear, and stopped to look around.

She wasn't at the scene, he would have spotted her already. And he knew what she was wearing. His worry was starting to get more priority than the smashed car in the monument. The car could wait. He had to find her first. There were a lot of brunettes around, so you would think that searching for a blonde would be easy.

He was redirected to her voicemail, and though it could be good or bad, he couldn't help but dwell on the bad.

The large crowd was being cleared, except none of the officers seemed to notice a girl—child, really—standing in the middle of the blocked-off street.

"Daddy!" It was ultimately the anguish in the girl's voice that made him change route and go to her. "Papa!" The girl was close to crying. Eric stopped near her and squatted down to her level. A solemn tear trailed down her face, but she turned to Eric.

"Hola, mi nombre es Eric. Como te llama?" he asked her, and the girl's eyes went wide, not expecting the man to know her native language.

"Amalia, but they call me Mia," she said softly. The girl couldn't be older than four years old, had light brown hair and brown eyes. She had a sad expression on her face, and she tugged at one of her brown curls.

"Mia, are you looking for your dad?" The girl nodded. "What happened?"

"We were standing over there," she said as she pointed. "And then people ran and now I can't find'im!"

"Okay, sweetheart, calm down." Eric gently stroked the girl's hair. "What's your daddy's name?"

"Mario Rodriguez."

"I'll tell my colleagues to look for him, okay?" The girl nodded.

"Did the car hit my daddy?" she girl asked, distress and agony visible in her eyes and tone.

"I don't know." It was then that he noticed the bloodstain on her dark-green shirt, and he feared the worst. "Let's get you checked out, okay?" The girl nodded and slipped her small hand into his seemingly big one, when he led her to the nearby ambulance. Despite the day's events, he couldn't help but smile at the girl easily trusting him.

Ten minutes later, Mia was still sitting with the paramedic's, and Eric finally caught up with Horatio.

"H, it's a mess," he said. The man nodded and removed his sunglasses.

"Eric, where is Calleigh?" Eric took a deep breath.

"I don't know." Upon the boss' look, he continued. "We got split up, I didn't think it mattered, we agreed that if we lost each other we'd meet each other at the Chinese place down the road at noon." Upon saying that, he looked at his watch, and realized it was ten past noon.

"Go to that place, Eric, see if she's there." Eric turned to go, but hesitated.

"H, there's a little girl, she can't find her father. Her name's Mia."

"Where is she?" Eric pointed to the ambulance.

"Over there, her father's name is Mario Rodriguez."

"I'll handle it, Eric, you go find Calleigh."

"Thanks H." Eric turned and left. As he walked across the cleared street, he looked at all the innocent, scared bystanders. It had been exactly 30 minutes, and there were still ambulances coming and going. It was a horrible sight, people bent over family members. He saw officer Walden performing CPR and yelling for a paramedic. There were bodies covered by white sheets. People were crying. An ambulance had just arrived, and ran to help out officer Walden. They rushed the man into the ambulance, and the woman who was bent over him was left behind, sobbing.

He noticed a teenager leaning against a monument, blood seeping from his leg and arm, yet nobody was helping him. He couldn't help but run over to him and helping him. After paramedics arrived to help the injured guy, he could finally leave, but the feeling of helplessness engulfed him. His chest constricted and he could feel a knot in his throat.

There were families everywhere, people huddled together in small groups. He wasn't sure he had ever experienced something so heart-wrenching. Some Presidents' Day this is, he thought.

He muscled his way through the crowd of people standing behind the police tape, trying to see if their friends or families were okay.

Within a few minutes he was at the Chinese place, and as he stood in front of the empty restaurant, he looked at his watch. It was already twenty minutes past noon, and he couldn't suppress the feeling of dread that passed through him.

_Calleigh was never late._


	2. Hoe het begon

_Three weeks earlier..._

She was bent over a microscope, peering into it. She looked away and scribbled something down on the paper next to the microscope. She took the bullet out the scope.

"Are you going to stand in the doorway or are you going to give me some coffee?" she asked, never wavering from her work. She never noticed the small smile playing about his lips. He walked over to her, but instead of handing her one of the coffees in his hand, he put them down on a table. He went to stand behind her trapping her between his body and the counter. He bent down a little and pressed a kiss to the back of her head. She let out a soft breath.

She turned in his grip and smiled when his hands moved to her hips, resting there. He pressed a small kiss to her cheek, and her eyes fluttered close.

"I missed you this morning," she said softly.

"Got called out." Even with her heels, he was still taller than her. She stood on her tiptoes and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. Just as he was about to deepen it, she pushed him away.

"We're at work, Eric," she warned and he backed up with his hands in the air, trying to prove his innocence, but the small smirk on his face gave him away. She shook her head and looked around to see if anyone had noticed their little moment.

He looked around, before pressing a quick, small kiss to her cheek, and leaving with his cup of coffee. She watched him go with a small smile on her face, before turning to her coffee and work.

* * *

"Hey, Eric, what's up?" Calleigh asked, approaching him.

"Horatio wants to see us," he replied.

"Just us? Or...?" she asked alarmingly.

"All of us."

* * *

The two arrived at Horatio's office and found Ryan, Natalia and a few other CSI's there. Just as they went to sit by their friends, Horatio walked in.

"Good afternoon, everyone. It seems that the President wants to spend Presidents' Day in Miami. The Secret Service have informed all local law-enforcement. You will also be amongst them. There will be a parade through Miami and South Beach. Uniformed officers will keep the onlookers off the road and behind the barricades, but the Secret Service wants more. They've requested that you wander along with the bystanders, in normal clothing, and keep an eye out. Does anybody have any questions?"

Nobody said anything.

"I understand if any of you don't want to do it, because it's not a safe job. Anything can happen. Are you in?"

Everybody nodded.

* * *

"We'll be dressed just like civilians," Ryan said.

"Yup," Natalia said. "I spoke to Horatio after, and he said that if, say, a fight breaks out, we have to handle it, so the uniformed officers can control the crowd."

"Because there certainly will be one," Eric said. They were standing in the locker room, done for the day.

Even though Natalia and Ryan didn't notice Calleigh's quietness, Eric did. He waited until the two were gone, before approaching her.

"Hey, you ok?" She nodded, but didn't make eye contact. "Calleigh, mi amor, what's wrong?"

"We'll talk at home, ok?" she asked and looked up at him with a small smile, her eyes pleading.

"Ok," he replied and ran his hand down her arm, to take her hand in his and squeeze it lightly. "I'll see you at home." She smiled sweetly at him, at the intimate gesture.

He smiled back at her before dropping her hand, walking out of the locker room.

When he was gone, she let out a deep sigh.

While he was walking to his car, he wondered what could be bothering Calleigh. It was a little unlike her to be so quiet, and even so, she wouldn't tell him right away what was so obviously eating away at her.

* * *

When she arrived home, she was pleasantly surprised to find him sitting outside on the steps of her front porch.

"You have a key," she pointed out, but he simply shrugged and patted to the empty space next to him. She smiled and sat down next to him, instantly snuggling into him. He wrapped an arm around her and held her close. He pressed a small kiss to her blonde hair. They were silent for a few minutes, before Eric spoke up.

"What's bothering you?"

"I don't know. I just have a bad feeling about Presidents' Day." She shrugged. He understood that not even she knew exactly why she was feeling so, something he too had felt once upon a time.

"It'll be ok," he said and pulled her in for a kiss. Instead of their tongues dueling for control, she let him have it, and he kissed her fiercely, and with passion. One of his hands was behind on her neck, tilting her head backwards so he could kiss her better, while the other one was on her hip. Her arms were looped around his neck, and she was about to straddle him, when a particularly cold wind passed along them and she shivered instead.

"Cold?" he asked when he pulled away, only slightly breathless.

"A little," she admitted.

"Then I suggest we take this inside," he whispered into her ear, his voice hoarse, and the shiver that passed through her then, had nothing to do with the cold air.


	3. En op die dag

_7.03 am._

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty."

She groaned and tried to fight off consciousness, snuggling deeper into the sheets and pillow.

"Calleigh, wake up." That voice was taunting her. If it didn't make her wake up more, she'd fling something in the general direction it came from. "You need to get up."

"No. Let me sleep," she said, her eyes still closed, but knowing she wouldn't fall back asleep anymore. He picked up on the underlying whine in her tone.

"I can't. We're going to be late." And then the smell of coffee reached her nostrils. She finally opened her eyes to find Eric staring down at her, a cup of coffee in his hands. She looked up at him and pouted. "Mornin', sunshine," he commented lightly. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Breakfast is almost ready." He walked away, leaving her there. She sighed and grudgingly got out of bed.

Fifteen minutes later she walked into the kitchen, showered and clothed. Her hair was still damp from the shower, and he thought she looked like an angel. She yawned and walked over to him. Behind him she stood on her tiptoes to see what he was making, but he turned and she had to take a step back to keep her balance.

"What's for breakfast?" she asked, a sweet smile gracing her lips.

"Your favorite," he said and her eyes went wide with satisfaction.

"Waffles?" When he nodded, her smile grew and she kissed him. He backed her up against the kitchen island, their fused lips never separating. She easily hopped up onto the countertop and pulled him between her legs. His hands wandered along the contours of her body, while her nails were scratching lightly along his chest, finally reaching the bottom of his shirt. She was just about to pull it over his head, when he smelled something out of the ordinary.

"Shit," he muttered, pulling away and turning to the waffle maker.

"Are they burned?" she asked, trying to pout, but the smile just wouldn't leave her face. He turned and glared at her, while she tried to win him over with her sweet smile.

* * *

_8.00 am._

Ryan, Natalia, Horatio and a few other colleagues were standing along the road, a little away from the already gathered crowd. Eric and Calleigh approached them. Good mornings were spread.

"Alright, I want you all to walk in teams of two, but if you get split up, it's okay. Natalia and Ryan, Calleigh and Eric..." Horatio rattled off the remaining names. "Any questions?"

"Around what time is the Presidential party supposed to pass by here?" Calleigh asked.

"Around noon. After they pass, the parade will follow, so feel free to watch, after they pass us it's out of our hands." Everybody nodded and they walked off to their assigned positions.

When they were away from familiar eyes, Calleigh slipped her hand into his, and he looked down at the twined hands. He smiled.

"This is actually kinda fun, in a way," he said lightly, but Calleigh was still a little wary.

"Yeah." Of course she shared his enthusiasm, something just didn't feel right, and she couldn't pinpoint what it was. He caught her tone.

"That feeling still bothering you?" he asked and she nodded. He stood still, but she didn't notice until his hand tugged her back. She turned to him. "It'll be ok." And then he gave her one of his heart-melting smiles. When he smiled like that she always felt like they were the only two in the world. She noticed that he only smiled that smile at her, and felt like it was reserved specially for her.

Even though he said it would be ok, he still couldn't help but worry. Simply because the woman he loved was worried. And she did not worry for any reason. But he decided that he was going to try and let her have the best time, because after all, it was a pretty festive day.

* * *

_10.32 am._

Calleigh and Eric were walking alongside each other. She grabbed the water bottle from his hands and took a long gulp. Eric couldn't help but watch her exposed throat as she swallowed.

She had to fight back a laugh at noticing him watching her. They went on walking, but suddenly encountered a tight crowd.

When he stood at the other side of the crowd he looked around but could find no traces of Calleigh.

He called out for her, but heard nothing, but that really didn't mean anything, because there was a lot of noise.

* * *

_12.05 pm._

As Eric walked along Dade Boulevard, he passed Alton Road, where roadblocks were set up 17th street, and officers were redirecting cars. He watched on as a man in a dark blue compact car argued with the officers before yelling some profanities and turning and driving the other way.

She was just wandering along the crowds, having lost Eric over an hour ago. The bystanders were getting excited, because they could see the first Secret Service SUV pass them by.

She heard voices louder than usual and approached a rapidly growing crowd surrounding two fighting men. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Hey! Miami Dade PD, break it up!" she yelled, but that didn't seem to help. She picked out two guys who seemed bigger than the two fighting ones, and gave them the mission of getting the two apart, because if she alone did it, she would not succeed and would certainly get hurt.

The two men managed to separate the fighting ones.

She heard a loud scream, and a crash, and something breaking. She rapidly weaseled her way out of the rapidly thinning crowd, and saw a dark blue compact car drive through the crowd of bystanders with no mercy, and before she had a chance to do anything, she felt herself getting pushed, and then everything went black.


	4. toen hij haar heeft gevonden

_12.58 pm._

As he stood in front of the empty Chinese place, the dreadful feeling he couldn't suppress passed through him. He took out his cell and dialed her number, but it went to voicemail immediately, meaning it was turned off. He hit the second speed dial.

"Yes, Eric?"

"She's not here, H."

"Okay, Eric, can you get back here? Mia won't talk to anyone but you." And that was a surprise to Eric. Horatio had always been the one to deal with children, but apparently the little girl had taken to him.

"Alright, I'm on my way," he said before hanging up.

He rapidly walked through the masses of people still huddled together. He couldn't fathom how a person could be so cold-blooded. He certainly hoped that the bastard didn't die at the hospital.

He arrived back on scene, and as he walked past the monument, he saw the guy he had helped earlier. The paramedics bent over him stopped trying to give CPR, and then a few seconds later they covered him with a white sheet. Eric stood still for a moment and closed his eyes, just to get away from it all, if only for a little while. He saw himself and Calleigh at the beach, having fun, but then it all turned dark when he was once again overwhelmed by the feeling of agony.

He spotted the ambulance with the girl sitting innocently on the stretcher. He walked over to it, and as Mia's eyes fell on him, she looked down.

"Mia, que paso?" he asked.

"Mi brazo, se hace un poquito dolor," the girls said.

"Her arm hurts," Eric said to the paramedic standing nearby.

"I know, it might be broken, but she needs to be taken to the hospital for X-rays."

"Anything else?"

"I'm not a hundred percent sure, but she might have a concussion."

"Ok." Eric walked over to Horatio who had overheard the conversation.

"Eric, go to the hospital with her," the Lieutenant said.

"What about Calleigh?" Eric asked worried.

"Eric... Eric you can always check the hospital," the older man said, not really sure how to tell Eric. He saw the deep breath he took, before nodding somberly. "Keep me posted." Eric nodded again, before climbing into the ambulance and sitting next to the little girl. The paramedic closed the doors and the ambulance took off, sirens and all.

Horatio took a deep sigh. It was more than probably that Calleigh would be at the hospital. He deep down wished it weren't true, but knew that it was the only possibility.

* * *

A stretcher was rushed in, a flurry of movement around it.

"Woman, in her thirties, approx. 100 pounds," a paramedic said to the resident already checking the woman over.

"Hit by the car?"

"More than probable."

"Johnson, I need a trauma room!" the doctor yelled across the room.

"The one in four just got rushed into surgery, put her in there," a man yelled from across the ER.

They rushed the stretcher to the assigned room. A lot of doctors were moving around, doing several things. They moved the woman to the exam table in there, and the paramedics left.

The doctor called the last guy back.

"Hey, Illidge, are there more?" he asked. The man nodded.

"A _lot_ more. If I were you, doc, I'd start calling all the other doctors in, because this isn't even half of it, and a lot of other ambulances are being redirected to other nearby hospitals."

"Alright, thanks." The paramedic left and the doors closed behind him.

* * *

"Alright, I got a child, four years old, she needs an X-ray," the paramedic said to the waiting resident as they lowered the stretcher from the ambulance. "Also, possible concussion."

"Curtain 3," the resident delegated, pointing to the busy ER. "I'll be right there."

Eric trailed behind the stretcher, taking a good look around.

You could hear cries of pain, and he saw a doctor attend to a guy whose leg was bent in a very strange way.

The resident came in and pulled the curtain closed, effectively closing them off from the crowd.

He walked up to Mia, leaning on the bed she was sitting on.

"Hi, my name is doctor Gerard," he said kindly, with a smile. Mia leaned back and inched closer to Eric. She looked up at Eric.

"This is Mia."

"So the paramedic said she might have broken her arm and a possible concussion?" Eric nodded. "Well, then an X-ray and an MRI, just to be sure the concussion is that—a concussion, and nothing more."

Eric nodded.

"Mia, nada mas?" Eric asked the girl, trying to comfort her. The girl shook her head.

"Okay, I'll be right back. If you would have your daughter change into these, would be great," the doctor said, handing Eric a hospital gown. Before Eric could correct the doctor, he was gone.

Eric turned to the girl, who—at one look at Eric—giggled. Eric rolled his eyes bashfully.

* * *

Alexx exited the surgery room, needing a moment to herself.

That was her fifth just today, and she was sure there were more to follow.

She snapped off her gloves and reached for her beeper when it went off. She was needed in the ER.

She was happy to at least be out of surgery where it seemed that every patient was dying.

_Damn bastard. At least he's not dead._

She opened the door to the trauma room and froze.

* * *

Mia had just finished changing into the hospital gown and was sitting back on the bed, when Eric's cell phone went.

"I'll be right back," he said to the girl, who nodded. He pulled the curtain to get out while he answered.

"Delko."

"_Eric, it's Alexx, where are you?_" her panicked voice said.

"At the hospital, why?"

"_Oh, I see you_."

Across the room he spotted Alexx putting away her phone.

She waved him over and he wondered what was wrong.

"Alexx, what's wrong?" he asked, her panicked face starting to gnaw at his insides.

"Eric, Calleigh is here."


End file.
